Abstract

Schistosoma mansoni, a helminthic parasite induces granulomatous inflammation mediated by oxidative stress following deposition of the eggs in the liver. The present study was done to evaluate the efficacy of aqueous ginger extract in ameliorating the damage effects of S. mansoni infection in mice. Fifty-six male and female mice were used in the present study, divided into 4 groups (14 each), three groups were infected with 60 cercariae of S. mansoni, and the other was left without infection as control. Two groups of the infected mice were treated with ginger and praziquentel (PZQ) as standard drug for 5 weeks after the appearance of eggs in faeces. The results showed that the number of eggs in faeces and hepatic tissue was increased in infected mice and decreased with treatment either ginger or PZQ. The level of serum IL-10 as anti-inflammatory mediator was almost increased in all infected mice. Oxidative stress markers in liver, kidney and spleen showed improvement in infected treated mice in comparison with infected mice. In conclusion, aqueous extract of ginger reduced the number of eggs in hepatic tissue and ameliorated the oxidative stress like PZQ.